“We still have Hamas representatives sitting in the Knesset,” Liberman wrote. He added that his right-wing party, Yisrael Beytenu “will keep working to make them illegal here as well.”

According to Haaretz, MK Jamal Zahalka, chairman of the Arab Israeli Balad party, said, “Liberman’s attack on the Arab MKs reveals his true face. Liberman expresses diplomatic moderation to win favor with the Americans, but at the same time expresses racism against the Arabs to win votes and cheap popularity.”

Liberman has been accused of targeting Arab Israelis in his statements and legislative efforts before. Yisrael Beytenu is currently spearheading legislation to raise the percentage of votes needed to enter the Knesset, a move small Arab parties fear could shut them out of the legislative body. Liberman has also repeatedly called for future land swaps with the Palestinian Authority to include heavily Arab areas of Israel.

By signing up, you agree to our
terms
You hereby accept The Times of Israel Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, and you agree to receive the latest news & offers from The Times of Israel and its partners or ad sponsors.